Chippenham Birth Centre Midwife wins top honour

Pam Walsh has been awarded the Emma’s Diary Mums’ Midwife of the Year 2017 for the South of England region after being nominated by local mum Melissa Glover. The prestigious award is one of the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) Annual Midwifery Awards, recognising the remarkable work done by inspiring midwives across the country.

Midwives play such a positive role in so many mums’ lives and this award gives mums the opportunity to express their gratitude and pay a heartfelt tribute to their own special midwife whose kindness and support went above and beyond what was expected of them.

Melissa suffered from depression for a number of years prior to becoming pregnant. Once pregnant, Melissa found herself single and her anxiety and depression snowballing. Melissa felt incredibly fortunate to have met Pam at the start of her pregnancy when she was feeling low, struggling with a loss of a relationship and worried about what the future may hold. Pam supported Melissa throughout, for both her pregnancy and her depression, did not judge her situation and gave Melissa the confidence to see the pregnancy through to become a great mum to a beautiful baby girl, Cora.

Melissa explains, “I will never forget the first moment I met Pam. I was not in a good place, but Pam comforted me immediately and continued to do so throughout the course of my pregnancy. Pam gave me the confidence I needed to deal with my anxieties of loving my baby and becoming a single mother. I couldn’t have done it without her.”

On winning the award Pam, who works for Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust, explained, “I felt incredibly humbled and honoured that Melissa had taken the time to enter me for this amazing award. To me it isn’t just a job, it’s about building relationships with girls like Melissa. Understanding their problems and listening to their worries allows us to encourage and support them in the best possible way, ensuring they have the best starts with their babies.”

Cathy Warwick, Chief Executive of the Royal College of Midwives, added, “What is so important about winning this award is that it comes from the mothers that midwives have cared for. There is no better indication of the quality of care than that of the mother, so Pam should be hugely proud of this achievement. Pam has gone above and beyond to deliver high quality, woman centred care and I congratulate her for her commitment, dedication and for caring so much about the care she gives.

“All of us can learn from midwives like Pam. She is a shining example to me, and I hope for other midwives who will be inspired by her example.”

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